The big man leads by example, and that has most recently been seen in his effort on Dwight Howard. Chandler has shut down the all-star down as the Knicks have won two out of three games against the Magic this season. Howard was limited to an average of only 9.3 points during those games. What’s more, Chandler also pestered Howard into committing an erratic 5.7 turnovers per game.

Of course, the Magic are plagued by off-the-court distractions, but that in no way discounts Chandler’s impact. Coming off a season in which he won an N.B.A. championship and finished second in “Defensive Player of the Year” voting, Chandler has picked up where he left off, averaging 9.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks heading into Thursday’s game.

Chandler has definitely been the team’s leader and MVP, but I worry about him being overextended before the playoffs start. I don’t mind his minutes, I just want to make sure he plays his best at the right time. They need to get Jeffries back ASAP to help the depth up front.